Dr Mungherera has been suffering the agony of the poverty of the medical fraternity that is in Uganda:

February 8, 2017

Written by BAMUTURAKI MUSINGUZI

Dr Margaret Mungherera, the former president of the World Medical Association, died of cancer last week. As a tribute to one of the world's most respected and outspoken health rights activists, we republish this feature about Mungherera by BAMUTURAKI MUSINGUZI first published by The Observer in January 2014.

When Ugandan psychiatrist Margaret Mungherera was voted unopposed as president-elect of the prestigious World Medical Association (WMA) – the event conjured up bitter memories when she was refused to practice medicine in Britain 28 years ago.

Mungherera had travelled to the UK to pursue a diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene at the London School of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene in 1984, after completing her internship at Mulago hospital a year before.

In 1980 the General Medical Council in the UK had banned doctors from a number of countries, Uganda inclusive, from working in England for various reasons, including the insecurity in Uganda then, and an alleged decline in standards here. Hence while Mungherera’s classmates from India, Nigeria and Ghana were allowed to practice, Ugandans were rejected as unworthy.

“For us personally as doctors we felt sort of downgraded and humiliated. It meant that if you could not work in England, then you could not work in Germany, France or Europe,” Mungherera says.

She recalls that even when they were admitted, they were told they could not touch patients, meaning that it was going to be a theoretical course.

“It was OK that we were not allowed into courses that were clinical at the time. It must have been up until the 1990s when we struggled and we were recognized again.”

Mungherera’s highest personal recognition came in October 2012, when she was voted WMA president-elect for 2013-2014 at the association’s annual General Assembly in Bangkok, Thailand. A year later, in Fortaleza, Brazil, she was installed as president at the WMA general assembly.

WMA, acting on behalf of patients and physicians, endeavours to achieve the highest possible standards of medical care, ethics, education and health-related human rights for all people.

“When I was taking up this post, the people who actually looked for me were from the British Medical Association. I also had doctors from the American, German and South African Medical Associations who actually rallied and convinced me to take up this challenge. And so when I was declared unopposed at the meeting in Bangkok last year, the first thing that came into my mind was how I felt that afternoon when I was not allowed to register in the UK,” Mungherera says, remarking what a “wonderful thing” it is that the British now think a Ugandan can lead.

Mungherera is only the third woman to head the 66-year-old association, after Dr P. Kincaid-Smith from Australia (1994-5) and Dr Kati Myllymaki from Finland (2002-3). And she is the second African president, after South Africa’s Bernard Mandell (1996-7). She sees this as more evidence to a gender-imbalanced world – that women can ably lead.

“As president, I am going to be the ambassador of the association. I will be the mouthpiece and spokesperson. I will represent WMA at the United Nations and World Health Organisation meetings and other bodies that have a relationship with the association. I will also be visiting national member associations especially where health workers have challenges. If, for example, they have unfairly detained a health worker or where rights of health workers are being violated,” she says.

Mungherera has been a medical doctor for over 30 years and a psychiatrist for 20 years. She specializes in forensic psychiatry at Mulago teaching and referral hospital. She also has responsibilities as the clinical head, directorate of Medical Services (departments of Internal Medicine and Psychiatry). In addition, she is a senior consultant psychiatrist at Mulago hospital, in charge of psychiatry emergency services.

Mungherera is a founding member of the Association of Uganda Women Medical Doctors and was the first woman to be elected honorary president of the Uganda Medical Association (UMA) since its formation in 1963. She is also its longest-serving president – 1998-2005 and again from 2010 to-date. As WMA boss, she hopes to tackle the challenges of delivering quality healthcare to millions around the world. And she articulates the problem clearly.

“I think the main challenge is that there is a human resource crisis all over the world whether you are talking about high, middle or low-income countries. The most affected areas are the low and middle-income countries. In terms of migration there is a lot of internal and external migration. People are migrating from the South to the North. People are even migrating within their countries from rural to urban areas. So, there is a lot of inequality in terms of distribution of health workers,” she says.

“I also think that the profession has low numbers but also there is a shortage of skills. The skills that are necessary now are to do with the new diseases that have emerged. For example, we as doctors should no longer keep sitting in our clinics; we should be out there doing advocacy, public awareness and health promotions.

“The diseases have changed; we should be talking about lifestyle, more than infections. [Of] course infections are important but lifestyle is a very important issue now. The other challenge as new diseases and epidemics emerge, there is reduced resources for health care. In most countries health care resources are going down,” she added.

Dr Mungherera supervising work at Mulago hospital in 2014

To address these challenges, Mungherera suggests that governments should show more commitment and increase funding for the sector. And the private sector, too, should be more involved in providing solutions.

“For example, a lot of governments have signed the Abuja Declaration, which requires all countries to allocate at least 15 per cent of their national budgets to health. It is not happening in any of the low-income countries and even some middle income countries.”

Mungherera also stresses that research has to be the pillar of efficient healthcare systems.

“We need to be providing services that are based on evidence. So, in many of these countries there is very little money for research. And a lot of research is done by institutions elsewhere. A lot of research is not being translated into policy and action; so, there is a lot of wastage of resources for research. We need to get more money but also target the money to where it is needed to influence policy and action.”

UP TO THE TASK

According the former WMA president, Dr Cecil Wilson, there is no doubt Mungherera will make a great president.

“In talking with Dr Mungherera about her vision for the WMA, what comes through loud and clear is a dedication to bringing the disparate member organisations of the WMA together,” Wilson wrote in his blog posted on the WMA website.

The principal medical officer in charge of mental health at the Ugandan ministry of Health, Dr Sheila Ndyanabangi, describes Mungherera as a charismatic, driven, outspoken, and truly emancipated woman.

“She has fought for the medical profession and the rights for women, men, children and health workers. She was a pioneer in starting health services for after-rape victims,” Ndyanabangi told The Observer. “Therefore, I think she has a lot to offer in coming up with new approaches in empowering health workers in general but also the medical doctors to fulfill their potential in as far as they can contribute to the wellbeing of the population.”

A particular area of concern for Mungherera is the delivery of psychiatric services in Africa, which are hindered by challenges such as the stigma associated with mental illness.

“Stigma also leads to limited resources provided by families, communities and governments. And our services are still rudimentary if you compare them with those in the West. We need to do more work with traditional healers because we know they have a role to play. We need [to] train, educate, and reorient them on what our different roles should be.”

“We need to educate the masses about the common causes of mental illness and how they can recognize mental problems. We also need to integrate mental care into primary healthcare so that every health worker can recognize the form of condition and to give some sort of treatment and know when and where to refer.”

Mungherera notes that immunization is not the responsibility of the health sector only but a multi-sectoral issue that calls for adequate funds for social mobilization.

“If we do not put enough money and effort in social mobilization, we are not going to get the results we want as far as immunization is concerned.”

Mungherera observes that the medical sector in East Africa is developing with the input from the private sector but more resources are required to gain higher growth.

“Things would move faster if we had more resources and especially the human resource. However, in the last 20 years a lot has changed in the way we manage and prevent diseases, and the number of skilled professions has increased. With more resources we can actually get where we can say it is of good standard,” she adds.

In 2000, Mungherera initiated discussions between national medical associations in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania, a move that culminated in the formation of the Federation of East African Medical and Dental Associations.

A significant achievement of the federation has been to bring together for the first time national medical associations to work with their regulatory bodies in the Eastern African region (Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and later Rwanda and Burundi) to strategise and plan for a joint effort to promote standards in training of doctors, regulation, continuing professional development, cross-border disease surveillance and emergency response.

President Yoweri Museveni appointed Mungherera a member of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the Global Fund for HIV/Aids, TB and Malaria (2004-2005) and member, Public Universities Visitation Committee (2005-2006).

Mungherera, who was born on October 25, 1957, has five siblings, including four medical doctors. She is married to Richard Mushanga, a retired banker, and she has an adult step-son and four grandaughters.

Nb

Of late these are the modern African medical professionals who seem to have suffered the fool concerning the self inflicted poverty of the country of Uganda. The country of Uganda cannot be struggling to own and use only one cancer treatment machine out of about 50 modern British style hospitals flourishing nationwide. It is a disgrace.

A MEDICAL LETTER FOR AMAMA MBABAZI

January 6, 2017

Written by MOSES KHISA

Mr Amama Mbabazzi

Dear Ndugu Amama,

Greetings! I had hoped to speak with you in Kampala just before Christmas day, but the vicissitudes of life and the messiness of our city made it a little difficult. Before long, I was back to base in Chicago.

One of your aides intimated that you had recently asked about me. And coincidentally, one of the ardent readers of this column, Samuel, not too long ago wanted to know if I knew what you are up to lately. I promised him I would put the question to you directly. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to.

Meanwhile, I was meaning to write you a line on the email when news broke through with a bang: you are in talks with Uganda’s chief fighter, Ssabalwanyi General Museveni, through your daughter Rachel.

Rachel came very close to fully confirming this development, telling the Daily Monitor newspaper: “Yes, I have met the president on several occasions. However, it is bad manners to disclose what one discusses with one’s elders.”

This news has attracted indignation, at least on social media.

The two brothers running the affairs of the country of Uganda.

Ugandans who are sick and tired of Museveni’s decadent rule are resolutely hostile to any rationale for meeting with and talking to a man you so diligently served.

I have a different view, though. The issue shouldn’t be about meeting or not meeting, it’s about why you have to meet and talk. You sure should meet Mr Museveni and speak to him candidly.

I don’t wish to sound presumptuous, but if you may permit me, I should like to remind you something you know all too well. Museveni has a knack for humiliating those who oppose him, chiding anyone who disagrees with him, discrediting and assaulting whoever threatens his grip on power.

NRM swimming in cash money.

I suspect that you are a man who prides in his honour and integrity. The last thing you want to do is crawl back to the Ssabalwanyi begging for favours and access to state largesse. The late Eriya Kategaya went through that ignominy and must have died a depressed man.

At any rate, you should savour a meeting with Museveni and tell him more forcefully what you have told him in the past: that his time is up. Tell him it is in his best interest to work out an exit plan before it becomes inevitable to depart disgracefully. Impress upon him not to wait for 2021 because he should have already left, anyway.

Tell him that harkening back to the Constitution is hollow. The Constitution was long abrogated, otherwise, we wouldn’t have flagrant disregard of court decisions, abuse of court processes, and illegal use of force especially at the behest of a partisan head of the Uganda Police Force. So, there is no constitutional order to talk about.

As you know, with your explicit involvement and enthusiastic participation, the infant 1995 Constitution received a severe knockdown in 2005. It was damned beyond redemption. The country will need a new Constitution once the current system is set aside, one way or the other, in the near future.

That said, Ndugu, I should like to propose that you use the opportunity of meeting your old comrade to persuade him that he is out of touch with the real problems of Uganda. He needs to clear the way and create the space for a new leadership that can reimagine a new Uganda and forge a better future.

The illusion that it is him to save our country and the mass of our compatriots from intractable socioeconomic and political problems has driven the country to a cliffhanger. The insecurity borne of a dubious long stay in power has bred blatant nepotism and a bloated personal security apparatus, weighing heavily on the national budget.

Remind General Museveni that the longer he has clung on, the more he has set up the country for a dangerous end to his rule, something that seems to have attracted disquiet from right inside his family environs, if the ramblings of one of his sons-in-law is to be taken at face value.

The writing is right on the wall. Remind him that there are many historical lessons to look to if at all he is in doubt as to how the course of history can sometimes unfold following its own laws and in total disregard of human ingenuity and logic.

Uganda is not at all inoculated against the kinds of tragic events we have seen in other countries where rulers cling onto power, effectively undermining and undoing whatever progress in place and leaving behind ruins when finally forced out.

I understand that General Museveni is not particularly keen on taking advice, never mind the over 100 advisors. But if you can impress upon him the urgency of his exit from power, you will have done a great service to the nation, arguably more important than what you did as a government official for three decades.

The next time I am in town, I will be sure to seek you out about receipt of, and reaction to, this letter. I hope you will still be holding your own in opposing life presidency and family rule in Uganda.

The author teaches political science at Northwestern University/Evanston, Chicago-USA.

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The message this writer is making has already been made through the recent expansive General Election of 2016. Mr Mbabazi has a very sick wife and with the advice of his strong daughters, there is not enough money in the family to treat their mother of cancer all over the world's medical hospitals.

Sewerage pipes that are always blocked by condoms at the Masaka sewerage plant.

MASAKA,BUGANDA, UGANDA -

Condoms flushed from the toilets of lodges in Masaka town and also dumped in the sewerage plant threaten the municipality's sewerage system functioning.

The National Water Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) sewerage plant that was built in 1952 has been intruded by town dwellers who dump condoms and polythene bags into it.

"The condoms and dead animals like dogs and cats and are being dumped into the sewerage plant and they cause blockage, making workers to constantly unblock the manholes," Joseph Mugenyi the area manager NWSC Masaka told MPs of Parliamentary Forum on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene and officials from Uganda Water Network (UWASNET) on Friday.

The group of legislators was on a field tour to assess the implementation of WASH programme in the district.

Mugenyi said his workers have a mighty task to prevent the municipality from being enveloped in filth if the sewerage overflows.

"The workers keep monitoring and unblocking the manhole whenever they have been blocked by condoms to prevent the sewerage from overflowing. Otherwise, the whole town would be full of stench," he said.

The water area manager said plans are underway to fence the sewerage plant to prevent residents of the town from dumping waste into it.

A team of MPs inspected the plant on Friday.

Workers always unblock the sewerage pipes.

The sewerage plant was built 63 years ago.

Condoms and dead animals are usually dumped in the sewerage plant. (Photo credit: Francis Emorut)

The vice chairperson of the Parliamentary Forum on WASH Ephraim Biraaro emphasized the need to sensitize the municipal dwellers on the dangers of flushing condoms into their toilet systems or dumping them in the sewerage plant.

He appealed to the district leaders to sensitize the masses on the proper way of condom disposal.

Biraaro also called for the implementation of the polythene bag law which banned its manufacture.

Ngora Woman MP Jacline Amongin, who is also the chairperson of Parliamentary Forum on WASH, called for more funding for water, sanitation and hygiene.

She asked the district authorities to prioritise sanitation and hygiene.

The MPs were also shown new technologies of water source and harvesting in Kalungu.

Lawmaker Hatwib Katoto warned that if the district authorities don't take action the municipality would experience an outbreak of cholera.

The Oil rich African country of Nigeria has started to borrow money to pay salaries as Interna

tional price of oil tumbles:

By Agencies

Posted Thursday, May 7 2015

NIGERIA, Lagos A cash shortage caused by low oil prices has forced Nigeria to borrow heavily through the early part of 2015, with the government struggling to pay public workers, officials said yesterday.

“We have serious challenges. Things have been tough since the beginning of the year and they are likely to remain so till the end of the year,” said Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

Nigeria, Africa’s top economy and largest oil producer, has been hammered by the 50 per cent fall in oil prices, with crude sales accounting for more than 70 per cent of government revenue.

“As it stands today, most states of the federation have not been able to pay salaries and even the federal government has not paid (April) salary and that is very worrisome,” said Imo state governor Rochas Okorocha.

Nb

It seems that Third World countries have a long way to learn how to handle their economies with a bit of caution. It is bad indeed to put ones eggs in one basket.

The government of Uganda has procured armoured police vehicles for the 2016 General Elections.

I am worried that the so-called crime preventers who are (were) being trained at a police training school in Kabalye, Masindi may, in future, become the burden they are trying to untangle now.

In January, about 700 Makerere University students were trained as crime preventers at the same school. The criterion used to select these students is not elaborate and is exclusive to those who are either in the patriotic clubs or the youth league of the National Resistance Movement (NRM).

Several student groups have attended these courses at Kabalye. Another one of about 2,400 students from several universities and tertiary institution was passed out last week.

We are told the course content includes ideological orientation, self-defence, martial arts, and security skills, among others. I am not sure of how this programme is supposed to add value onto the lives of students, and Ugandans as a whole! Further, I don’t know whether the police budget should be diverted to this kind of exercise.

What exactly does a crime preventer do? Is he/she a security operative who gathers information on certain offenders and then confront them? Is this a voluntary exercise or it is a paid- for, job? If so, it, therefore, calls for certain regulations, obligations and responsibilities.

Is this an auxiliary group to the security organs? Are these students specifically trained to prevent crimes in universities or in the entire country? Sometimes, armed people commit crimes. So, will the crime preventer be armed in order to counter any armed attack? It is not clear whether all the national tertiary institutions will be equipped with crime preventers. Once, the dubious Kiboko squad described itself as crime preventers.

So, should Ugandans worry that another dodgy group is being prepared, perhaps for the expected intense political activity in 2016?

What is the relationship between these crime preventers and the police, army, and other security agencies in the country? Many of these questions still remain unanswered. Inspector General of Police Kale Kayihura says the course is good because it has equipped the young people with ideological direction.

The Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary defines ideology as a system of ideas and ideals, especially one that forms the basis of economic or political theory and policy. It further defines it as the ideas and manner of thinking characteristic of a group, social class, or individual. So, if the course is supposed to orientate the students in ideology, in whose ideology are they inculcated? Who determines the correct ideology, and anyway, what ideology was being marketed to these students?

Again, there is a trend that one cannot be a complete cadre or patriot without being equipped with military skills. Everything in Uganda is being militarised. Agriculture has to be run by the military. The police have to be steered by a military man. The immigration and national identification process has to be conducted by the military. A military man runs the highest office in the land.

Ruling party MPs have to conduct their annual retreat in a semi-military camp. Early this year, they (MPs) were all clad in attires that resembled military uniforms! Even the beauty contest is a candidate for military takeover! At their pass-out, the youths gleefully displayed their skills of dismantling and assembling guns. Others performed martial art drills.

Some of these youths are, actually, mere opportunists. They are using this training as a pedestal to clutch on better things in future. Many of them have realised that keeping closer to the party means instant wealth. They have seen how those youths who originally backed Amama Mbabazi for president, but later crossed to President Museveni’s camp, have become instant millionaires.

They know that when time comes for recruiting mobilisers for votes in 2016, priority will be given to those who trained at Kabalye. Instant, and sometimes unexplained, wealth has become the major motivation of joining NRM programmes. I don’t know the exact ideological direction of the NRM. Even if one asked these youths what NRM’s ideology is, the likelihood is that the answer would not be given. And if it is given, the one who asks the question would remain uninformed.

This exercise in Kabalye is as inoperable as the youth representation in Parliament. The lives of the youth in Uganda have not improved as a consequence of being represented in Parliament. I have not seen bills being sponsored by youth MPs, specifically targeting issues that youths grapple with.

The irony is that the very youths who have trained in crime prevention may be the harbingers of crime. There is a temptation to look at crime as mainly a physical thing such as murder, treason, theft and rape. We forget that there is an unemployed youth likely to engage in forgery in order to access someone else’s account in the bank.

And more threatening is the fact that honesty is no longer something taken seriously, as the strength of youths. So, the economic pressures, which Kabalye never addressed, may turn these cadres of crime prevention into victims of the very mischief they intended to cure. It would be stretching the restraint of a hungry hyena to entrust it with the servicing of a loaded butchery.

The captured Lord's Resistance (LRA) commander, Dominic Ongwen, revealed to the African Union contingency in the Central Republic of Africa (CAR) that he is lucky to be alive, according to army spokesperson, Lt. Col. Paddy Ankunda.

Ankunda has told New Vision that Ongwen looks psychologically settled for being in safe hands now and assured of justice at the International Criminal Court (ICC).

"The man has been in the bush for most of his life fighting and eating rats but now he is in our (UPDF) custody eating chicken. He is happy that he will get justice at the ICC," said Ankunda when asked about Ongwen's situation.

"What we are waiting for now is for the CAR government to hand him over to the ICC. When they (CAR Government) ready, they will let us (UPDF) know," added Ankunda.

Ongwen was handed to the AU contingency in CAR by the US Special Forces on Wednesday and he was received by UPDF CAR contingent commander, Col .Michael Kabango, at Obo.

In the picture taken with Kabango, Ongwen is seen in a jolly mood, not reminiscent of a man who has been through thick and thin of Africa's jungles fighting for most of his life.

Kasibante

Member of Parliament on tension over Beti Kamya's return for the 2016 national election:

Rubaga North MP Moses Kasibante.

By Monitor Reporter

Posted Tuesday, January 27 2015

Uganda Federal Alliance (UFA) leader Beti Kamya is plotting to return to Parliament in 2016. Political Xtra understands that Ms Kamya, who is also the former Rubaga North MP, took the decision after her supporters reportedly advised her against “chasing shadows”.

They reportedly told her to admit that she miscalculated when she took the decision to contest for the highest office and asked her not to waste time again. Ms Kamya was a contestant in the 2011 Ugandan presidential elections.

However, Ms Kamya, who accepted to contest for Parliament next year, is said to have told her supporters that she participated in the 2011 elections not to win but to launch the federal ideology outside Buganda; she calls it ‘Ugandanisation’ of federo.

Apparently, Ms Kamya’s return has taken current Rubaga North MP Moses Kasibante by surprise since he thought the former FDC strong lady would contest for presidency again.

‘Sleepless nights’

Sources close to Mr Kasibante told Political Extra that the UFA leader is giving him sleepless nights. The MP nowadays frequents his constituency and quietly meets voters in order to galvanise his support and has reportedly vowed to give Ms Kamya “a bloody nose” in next year’s parliamentary contest.

Following the 2011 elections, the former journalist with the help of Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago and other Opposition sympathisers went to court, challenging NRM candidate Singh Katongole’s disputed win. Mr Katongole, who won the seat through a disputed re-counting process, was ejected by court, allowing Mr Kasibante to reclaim what belonged to him. But it appears what belonged to Mr Kasibante, once belonged to Ms Kamya and she is determined to have it back.

The US Ambassador to Uganda Scott DeLisi last week expressed disapproval of the awarding of $4b (about Shs11.5 trillion) oil refinery project to the subsidiary of a Russian state conglomerate that also deals in arms and whose chief executive is under heavy US and EU sanctions. He warned that this venture is “not a done deal.”

“On the issue of the sanctions, these are issues I am sure the government will have to look at carefully. They have designated a Russian company as the first on the list, absolutely, but they still have to negotiate a variety of issues that will go to financing and the rest. I would suggest that you wait and see how that all plays out,”

DeLisi was speaking during a 45-minute interface with selected journalists at the US embassy in Nsambya, Kampala, on Wednesday.

“They [problems] maybe because of the sanctions imposed upon the parent company.

“There may be problems in terms of financing, inability to operate but we will see how all that plays out,” he added.

Last week, the Uganda government awarded the contract for the refinery project to RT Global Resources, a consortium managed by Russia’s Rostec, a defence and technology corporation whose businesses include manufacturing and selling weapons such as the AK-47/Kalashnikov rifles.

In 2013, the government started the search process for a lead investor to undertake construction of the 60,000 barrels-per-day (bpd) oil refinery. About 75 companies picked the Request for Qualification documents and only eight made it to the last submission round. Later, four companies pulled out for diverse reasons.

The four that reached the last round included, RT Global Resources, Japan’s Maruben Corporation, China’s Petroleum Pipeline Bureau (CPPB), and the South Korean SK Group.

Mr Sergei Chemezov, Rostec’s chief executive, is a former officer in the Russian spy agency KGB and close ally of President Vladimir Putin. He has US sanctions on him, which include freezing his assets and barring US companies from dealing with him since 2014.

The sanctions are in response to Russia’s annexation and military adventures in Ukraine.

“It is not my job to tell the government of Uganda with whom they can engage but it is my job to share with the government the US policy, its concerns if there is any and to define the nature of our partnership. So that is what we focus on, but I wish them well even in other dealings but we will see how that all plays out,” said Ambassador Mr DeLisi

The refinery project manager Robert Kasande told Sunday Monitor that they are cognizant of the sanctions against Sergei Chemezov but added that these are issues he cannot comment about or are rather beyond him.

He however revealed that they finalised the issues of financing with the Russian company.

President Museveni has in the recent past scolded Western countries for what he called arrogance, and said China and Russia were available as alternatives because they do not meddle in internal politics of other countries.

The Electoral Commis

sion begs the media not to incite violence as the 2016 National elections approach

By Fred Muzaale

Posted Thursday, April 2 2015

Luweero in the State of Buganda, Uganda.

The Electoral Commission (EC) chairman, Mr Badru Kiggundu, has cautioned the media to desist from reporting sensational and unbalanced stories that can instigate violence.

In a speech read for him by the EC director of finance and administration, Ms Jovita Byamugisha, during a regional media workshop on the 2016 general elections, in Luweero Town on Monday, Mr Kiggundu said the media should promote peaceful campaigns and support conflict prevention.

“You should study the road map and internalise its content so that you are able to follow the progress and report from a point of knowledge,” the EC boss said.

Study the road map

He added that journalists should acquaint themselves with the EC’s road map for the various electoral activities so that they report from an informed point of view.

The workshop was attended by journalists from Kayunga, Mityana, Luweero, Nakaseke and Kiboga districts.

The EC senior public relations officer, Mr Paul Bukenya, said the 2016 general election will not be free and fair if it does not receive a free and fair media coverage.

fmuzaale@ug.

nationmedia.com

Lyantonde health workers strike over 5-month delayed salary

Written by URN

Created: 24 December 2015

Health workers at Lyatonde Hospital have gone on strike protesting nonpayment of salaries for five months now.

The strike has left hundreds of patients stranded without any assistance. The most affected departments include; surgery, children's, maternity and causality wards.

The health workers are demanding for at least a package to take them through the Christmas season if their salaries of five months are to delay further.

The strike began this morning after receiving communication from Christopher Okumu the Chief Administrative Officer that their accounts would be credited after Christmas or in January 2016.

Stranded patients at Lyantonde hospital

Led by the hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Billy Ssebunya, the health workers stormed the CAO's office after receiving the communication but found it locked.

As a result, they stormed RDC Sulaiman Tiguragara Matojo's office seeking an explanation. Matojo held a closed door meeting with the aggrieved health workers but the meeting did not yielded any positive results.

The health workers stormed out in protest accusing Matojo of being incompetent in managing the affairs of the district including issues of health workers.

Dr Ssebunya says his staff has often complained about the lack of payment and have lost the morale to attend to the patients.

According to Ssebunya the CAO earlier claimed that a cheque was banked in November this year and that all their accounts were to be credited but that has not happened.

When contacted, Okumu said that his office was handling the matter and the workers would get their salary by the first week of January. He however could not explain the delay.

The French oil company, Total, wants a connection with the Kampala-Dar pipeline route for the Kenya oil supply:

SUNDAY AUGUST 27 2017

BY Allan Olingo

An oil rig in Kenya’s Turkana County. PHOTO FILE | NATION

The French oil giant Total, which is consolidating its position in the region’s extractives sector through its full acquisition of Maersk Oil and Gas stake in Kenya’s South Lokichar oilfields, plans to push for discussions that would see Kenya’s oil transported through the Uganda-Tanzania pipeline.

Such a decision, still at the wishful thinking stage, would have far-reaching implications for Kenya’s grand infrastructure project — the Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia-Transport Corridor (Lapsset) — which includes an oil pipeline.

On Monday, Total announced that it had acquired 100 per cent equity stake in Maersk oil and gas in a share and debt transaction worth $7.5 billion.

Already, the company increased its shareholding in the existing Lake Albert assets in Uganda in January, after buying out Tullow’s 21.57 per cent stake worth $900 million.

Total chief executive Patrick Pouyanne said at a press conference in Paris that the acquisition of Maersk would not have any impact on the plan to build the long-delayed export pipeline from Uganda across Tanzania to the Coast.

“We want to sanction this project in the first half of next year, following an inter-governmental agreement between Tanzania and Uganda earlier this month.

However, it might be possible to combine transportation of the Kenyan assets, a subject to be discussed with partner Tullow Oil,” Mr Pouyanne said, adding that the progress has been good, with an agreement already signed between Uganda and Tanzania early this month.

Total said the acquisition of Maersk could now allow the firm to participate in the development of the Kenyan assets.

Last year, Total used its influence, through several high level meetings with the presidents of both Uganda and Tanzania to successfully convince the Dar es Salaam and Kampala administrations to choose the Uganda-Tanzania route over Kenya’s route.

Kenya had sought to convince Uganda to move its oil through the Lamu Port, but after it lost out to Dar es Salaam, it announced that it would still proceed with the Lamu pipeline project. It is estimated the project would cost $2.5 billion with the government expected to offset part of it.

“We will now have to do the needful by identifying where this pipeline will pass and also address the financing question. We are only getting 20 per cent of the funding from the Exchequer. This means that the difference has to be funded under the public-private partnership,” Kenya’s Energy Cabinet Secretary Charles Keter said then.

Tullow Oil, which holds a 50 per cent interest in Lokichar exploration and the Kenyan government said it would be forging ahead with construction groundwork with works set to conclude in 2021. However, both have been quiet on the progress of this venture.

Total’s plan, if sanctioned, could save Kenya the $2.5 billion. But this would be at the expense of both national pride and the LAPSSET project, which had been envisaged to open up the northern part of the country that has remained underdeveloped.

Kenya says it is unaware of any preference by Total for the Kenyan oil to be moved through the Uganda-Tanzania pipeline.

“We are yet to get any notification from our oil development partners on this suggestion over a preferred route, so I cannot give a response to that,” Kenya’s Petroleum Principal Secretary Andrew Kamau said.

It is expected that the French conglomerate, with millions of dollars in its research and development budget, will lobby Kenya and Tullow to choose the Ugandan pipeline route as a cheaper option.

“For Kenya, the discussions on using the Ugandan pipeline will be a difficult as it is also keen on achieving other development objectives within its territory.

The French oil giant now effectively sees it as a partner in Kenya’s blocks 10BB, 13T and 10BA where it will now own 25 per cent interest, while Tullow retains a 50 per cent interest in the blocks, Africa Oil’s stake remaining at 25 per cent.

However, if it can manage to have both the pipeline and production from the same company, then it has a best bet on price, especially when the revenues starts flowing in,” said Eric Musau, an analyst at Standard Investment Bank.

Uganda and Tanzania, together with the oil firms are working on the projects financing blueprint that will see the two countries raise 70 per cent of the total costs from international lenders.

Uganda has indicated that it will be able to determine its pipeline’s final cost before the end of this month, even as it emerged that one of the project’s lead financial advisers — Standard Bank Uganda [ a joint financial adviser with Japan’s Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp] — was already planning to raise $3 billion by the second half of next year.

“We are finishing on the details of the financing that will be contained on the Front End Engineering Design study which will be ready by the end of the month. Once we have the actual cost, then we will task our financial advisers to assist with fundraising,” Energy and Minerals Minister Irene Muloni said.

The East African map showing how the African oil will be exported out of the continent for the customers who need it most.

In Uganda, the Chinese sand miners and most probably gold miners too, are protected by ‘big people’– Wakiso police is being told.

The chairperson parliamentary committee on natural resources Alex Byarugaba summoned all the Chinese working with Only for You International Ltd following physical altercations between the miners and Wakiso district chairperson Matia Lwanga Bwanika last week.

Bwanika, with other district officials attempted to arrest the miners for illegally excavating sand from the Lake Victoria at Nangombe landing site in Kasanje sub-county last week. The Chinese attempted to physically assault the chairman, telling him they had been cleared by 'authorities' in government and State House to excavate sand in the area.

The MPs on natural resources committee with district environment authorities at the sand mining site

“We have summoned all Chinese and the owners of the land, George William Mulo because we need to know all the people involved in this deal from the top officials who told the Kasanje residents they work with State House. The same people told the Kasanje residents that the sand was used to build the Entebbe international airport but we expect these people to appear in Parliament next week” said Byaruhanga during a field visit on Thursday.

Byaruhanga also ordered for the arrest of Patrick Muwanguzi, one of the drivers who operate the graders at the sand mining site in Nangombe. He said the reason why they arrested him is because he failed to hand over the keys for the graders which they wanted to park at Kasanje’s police for security purposes until the Chinese appear before Parliament next week.

“This man has keys for these graders but he has failed to hand them over to us and we have arrested him but we’re taking him with us up to Parliament because the Wakiso district chairman Matia Lwanga Bwanika told us how DPC Entebbe police Division has released the rest of the suspects. Now let’s go with this one and he will help us find the rightful owners of this illegal business” he added.

He also said the Parliament is also going to investigate the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) officials who have been visiting the site without arresting the Chinese.

“People on the ground have told us that NEMA officials have been coming here but they have been ‘eating’ the Chinese’s money and this has stopped them from arresting them. However, for us we shall arrest them and we need also to look at their working permits because I don’t think these people were accepted by our government to operate in Uganda” he added.

The district environment officer, Mpoza Esau told the MPs that he had earlier issued the Chinese with the warnings and stopped them from excavating sand from the lake, but they adamantly continued with their illegal activity.

“Their act of continuing excavating sand illegally from the lake forced me with the district chairman and other district officials to visit the site and take action on these people which we did and that’s why they have even abandoned the site which has helped us to save our environment and very soon it will be restored“ said Mpoza.

The MPs also visited the Kasanje police station and the OC station Amir Magulu said the miners are well protected by some ‘powerful people’ in government.

“You Hon. Byarugaba I am still new in this position, and I have nothing to do for you, unless when you call my supervisor DPC Entebbe division. But I can’t do anything because we also receive calls intimidating us and we can’t even tell who these people are” he told MPs.

Meanwhile, Uganda Local Government Association (ULGA) chairperson George Mutabaazi has hailed Bwanika for his fight against the illegal sand mining, saying that the illegal sand mining is not only in Wakiso but is also happening in his district (Lwengo) and even Masaka.

“You have been saying the opposition is fighting the government but some of the opposition leaders like Bwanika are doing good things...that’s why we have suggested as district chairmen to join Bwanika and fight these sand miners from Wakiso, Masaka , Lwengo and other areas to protect the country’s environment" said Mutabaazi.

Inside the business community in Uganda, Kampala, Capt Roy is loosing money and property that has been sitting in the Crane bank:

March 10, 2017

Written by Derrick Kiyonga

Now troubled businessman goes to court to save Conrad House

In taking over Crane bank on January 27, 2017, Dfcu bank perhaps pulled off the second largest bank acquisition in Uganda since Standard bank of South Africa bought Uganda Commercial Bank (UCB), now Stanbic bank, in 2000.

But as DERRICK KIYONGA reports, the historic acquisition has brought lots of attention and baggage to the bank.

Now, Dfcu is being sued over loan transactions done by Crane bank. In a suit filed on February 27, 2017, Captain Joseph Charles Roy argues that he owns Conrad House Limited, plot 30 on Jinja road, which he paid for in installments worth $15m with loans from Crane bank, which was previously owned by businessman Sudhir Ruparelia before it was taken over by Dfcu in January.

Conrad Plaza along Entebbe road

Captain Roy argues that he has repaid over $19m over the years but surprisingly the money is not reflected on the accounts of either Crane bank or Dfcu, which, according to him, smacks of fraud.

Through Omongole and Company Advocates, Roy says he has been out of the country for about five years during which time no bank statement or loan statement were sent to him. At least ten years ago, Capt Roy was regarded as one of the richest Ugandans with interests in air transport and real estate, among other sectors.

But that was before his empire started crumbling under the weight of bank loans. According to Roy, his ranch which had rhinos located in Migyera, Nakasongola district, was sold off in 2009 at about $12m and the money was deposited in Crane bank, now Dfcu, in a bid to offset the loan facility but there is no evidence to show the money went to the settlement of the said loan.

Roy further states that his properties were sold and the proceeds held by Crane bank, but the same are neither reflected on the bank’s accounts or loan statements.

According to court documents, these properties include; Conrad Plaza on plot 22 Entebbe road, which was sold at $6m; plot 22 on Kampala road, which was swapped at Shs 860m; and his shares in Das/Rokabond, which were sold and all the proceeds held by Crane bank on the loan account.

Roy adds that $8.9m was paid to Crane bank from his shares in Rwenzori Commodities. Armarali Karmali (AK), his company, paid $2.4m from Barclays bank to Crane bank, and Mukwano Industries paid $400,000 from his shares, all to clear the loan but all are not reflected.

Roy ran to court after he learnt Dfcu was in the process of selling off Conrad House on plot 30 Jinja road, in order to offset the said loan.

“The plaintiff [Roy] was informed of the sale [of Conrad House] by the executive director of the defendant [Dfcu] and statutory manager of Crane bank in various meetings between 20 and 23 February 2017, in which he was asked to officially bring the above matters to the attention of the defendant…,” the suit reads in part.

Roy insists that he is not indebted to the bank, having had all the mentioned properties sold and the proceeds channeled towards settling the loan.

“The plaintiff also contends that the interest rate charged on the loan at 36 percent, plus 27 percent as penal interest, is very high and excessive and was not the rate agreed to in the loan agreement, and amounts to unfair enrichment,” the plaint goes on.

Efforts to reach dfcu’s legal officer, Agnes Isharaza Tibayeita, proved futile as she wasn’t taking our phone calls. On January 27, 2017, Bank of Uganda confirmed that assets and liabilities of Crane bank, which had been put into receivership, had been transferred to Dfcu.

Before that, Bank of Uganda had taken management control of Crane bank because it lacked sufficient capital and posed a systemic risk to the financial system. According to Bank of Uganda, external auditors found Crane bank’s liabilities exceeded assets, rendering it insolvent.

In Uganda will the citizens ever know in details why the Crane Bank was taken over?

When Greenland Bank failed, the details were more forthcoming than now, is it because for Greenland Bank it was a total failure of the bank whilst with Crane Bank it is a mere take over?

Sunday November 13 2016

By Mr Nyombi Thembo, a former long serving Minister in the current NRM government:

The history of banking is awash with bank failures. Since Mr Giovani Medici founded his bank, the Medici Bank in Italy in 1397, banking has been one of the most profitable but risky and regulated business in the world.

England, the father of modern banking as we see it today, has had more bank failures than any other developed economy. Indeed, all developed economies have had bank failures whether in bad or good economic times.

As I write this article, the biggest bank in Europe, the Deuche Bank, is under serious troubles despite the fact that Germany is a star economic performer in Europe and the best performing economy in the world.

Uganda’s situationIn Uganda, we are proud to have the Bank of Uganda that has developed unmatched regulatory capacity on the African continent.

All that said, banks can be very profitable businesses as all of us use banks in one way or another in our day to day transactions. For the case of Uganda, the last one year has not been good for business, and indeed the first causality of a slack in business are banks, hence most of them made losses or lower profits last year.

However, a snapshot look at the financial results as published by all banks did not give a doomsday picture, not until recently when one among the top four, Crane Bank, was taken over by the Central Bank.

And we continue to hear that most banks are stressed, although the Central Bank has insisted that most banks are financially sound – and for obvious reasons, that is what a regulator does, lest a risk run on the banks and eventual financial meltdown.

So what could have happened to Crane Bank, a bank that according to the financial results released this year, had a very impressive capital base of more than Shs210 billion, which is nearly 10 times the regulatory minimum of Shs25 billion.

Much as Crane Bank had provided for impairment losses on loans and advances of Shs50 billion arising out of non- performing loans, and made a loss of Shs3 billion, looking at its investments in government securities of Shs150 billion, investment in a subsidiary of Shs34 billion and a very impressive cash flow statement – this is a going concern that looked healthy just facing normal disturbances from the macro-economic environment that had afflicted most businesses in the country.

The devil, however, as the saying goes, is always in the details, the details that we never get.

Let us, for example, note that the total customer deposits of Crane Bank, by closure of 2015 was Shs1.3 trillion, out of which Shs971 billion had been given out as loans and this had increased from Shs844 billion in 2014, a net increase of Shs127 billion (15 per cent increase) against a depositor base increase of 7 per cent.

A breakdown on the performance of individual loans is something that most of us would love to look at, as here is where I see a risk where the Central Bank could have used their own informed assumptions on the performance of these assets and concluded that the capital base of the bank was under immense risk under the Crane Bank board of directors as it was constituted before take over.

If this is the case, why shouldn’t the regulator come out clearly and tell the public as such.

The translucence with which this matter has been handled has produced gossip of all kinds, making cannon fodder out of politicians: White Sapphire (one of the owners of Crane Bank, owning a stake of 47.3 per cent) is now owned by every politician in this country.

The Shs200 billion that was appropriated by Parliament to capitalise Bank of Uganda, is now money given to Crane Bank to cushion the “invisible owners” of the bank.

The ambition to refine African oil is a new challenge for the country of Uganda:

BY Haggai Matsiko

October 24, 2016

Museveni (3rd left) is briefed about the operations of an oil refinery in Chad over a blue print model.

Oil refinery seems all commercial trouble much more than military trouble: The long serving President of Uganda, Mr Museveni is being pushed into a very tight corner:

A shadowy international company registered in the British Virgin Islands (BVI), a major international tax haven is high up on the list of companies government is courting to invest in the $ 4 billion oil refinery, investigations by The Independent have found. While tax havens are legal, many companies that operate there tend to be shrouded in secrecy and engage in doubtful business dealings. The company the government is negotiating with to build the oil refinery, for example, seems to be involved in unclear businesses.

I n a major investigation, The Independent reveals that the company is registered in a tax haven, and at its forefront is a Nigerian of unclear identity, who goes by the name Henry Henry on the social networking service, Linkedin.

While the company that has expressed interest in the deal is called Burj Petroleum. There is no known company that is called just Burj Petroleum.

But there are two entities—Burj Petroleum International Corporation (BVI), which has a website—www.bur – jpetroleum.org—and maintains offices in Dubai-UAE and London. The other entity is Burj Petroleum Africa Ltd, whose directors say they are based in Dubai-UAE, London and even Nigeria.

The company on the ministry documents is called Burj Petroleum, which doesn’t exist.

Critics have pointed to where the company is registered as a major concern for transparency and prudent sector insiders say by dealing with such an unclear company, President Yoweri Museveni is showing how he has been boxed into a tight corner and is struggling to find a serious investor for the refinery project that only two years ago, major Russian, Chinese and South Korean banks and companies worth billions of dollars were fearlessly fighting for.

There has been a lot of talk about how Ministry of Energy officials are reviewing hundreds of expressions of interests from multiple companies. However, according to an official list from the Ministry of Energy, a copy of which The Independent has seen, as of September 30, a total of 18 companies had expressed interest in the project.

According to the list The Independent has, seven of the 18 are Chinese, 3 are American, one is South Korean and two are Japanese. Of these, three companies appear serious in terms of the finances they control and refining experience. Burj Petroleum is not one of the serious ones.

But The Independent picked interest in Burj Petroleum after seeing correspondence between the company and government. Government officials at the Energy Ministry listed it among the 18 companies. It is putting in a joint bid with China Huarong Asset Management (HK) Co Limited according to both the list and the correspondence with government.

On the Website of Burj Petroleum International Corporation, which is registered in BVI, the company notes that it is “engaged in the sourcing, marketing and distribution of physical commodities on a global basis, taking advantage of opportunities in niche markets in Turkey, North West Europe, the Mediterranean, the Black Sea, Baltic Sea, Persian Gulf, Gulf of Guinea and Singapore”.

It also claims it was founded in 1995. China Huarong Asset Management (HK) Co Limited, on the other hand was founded in 2012. While Burj Petroleum says it was founded in 1995, our investigations show that its website was only registered in 2014 by a property consultant-cum company officer named Shahriar Lak of 97B Willow Vale, London. Lak is the registrant, administrator and technical con – tact of the company’s site.

Away from Lak, the company has no refining experience at all. On its website, it says it has a license to construct a refinery in Hamriyah, UAE, Basra, IRAQ and is currently in the feasibility stage of this endeavor. The refinery will process 20,000bpd heavy crude, and refined products will be delivered to the local market.

It also notes that it has a processing agreement with some refineries and can get allocation with some OPEC countries and off OPEC for producing oil products and will sign processing agreement with another refinery. With government struggling to find an investor, Burj Petroleum threw a bait— financing the refinery 100 % and giving government carried interest of 20 % for free—which appears to have thrown government off balance.

The Independent has seen a letter written on behalf of the Ministry of Energy Permanent Secretary, Kabagambe Kalisa and copied to the refinery project manager, where government is inviting the company for negotiations and seeking clarification on its interest.